by James Witherite, Tioga Downs racing media

Nichols, NY– Owner/trainer Mike Sinclair’s Heavenly Bet ($4.60, part of entry) overcame post eight and controlled the terms through the middle of the race en route to a 1:55 score over her stablemate Winners Over in the $23,700 Gail’s Diner Series Final on Sunday afternoon (May 22) at Tioga Downs.

Fred Brown photo

Heavenly Bet holds clear of her stablemate Winners Over in the $23,700 Gail’sDiner Series Final on Sunday afternoon (May 22) at Tioga Downs.

While Winners Over (Dan Clements) was away most sharply in the field of eight, Scott Coulter gradually worked Heavenly Bet forward through a :27.3 first quarter mile before clearing with just over a circuit to go. The two would continue at the head of the field throughout, with Heavenly Bet spared of pressure due to a failed first-over bid by Ghost Runner (Tom Jackson). After intermediate fractions of :56.4 and 1:24.4 over good going, the 3-year-old Bettor’s Delight filly faced a challenge from her stablemate on the far turn. Heavenly Bet proved superior of the Sinclair pair, holding sway by three-quarters of a length.

Well Shaded (Fern Paquet, Jr.) emerged out of traffic to take third, while Shesgotthebeat-a winner in both her preliminary events-only could manage a fourth place finish after she was compromised by badly stalling cover on the far turn.

The afternoon’s other three featured events-an $11,000 Open Pace and two $7,500 second-round divisions of the Nichols True Value Series-all went to driver Tom Jackson, who led all drivers on the 13-race program with that natural hat trick.

Meadows invader Nitro Seelster ($4.40) sustained a first-over push to reel in Believe This Bob for a 1:52 Open win, while Fresh Cut ($44.80, 1:54.2) and Le Gambe ($4.30, 1:54.1) prevailed in their respective Nichols True Value splits.

No one hit the 50-cent Pick-5, resulting in a $208.67 carryover to Friday evening’s (May 27) program.

Tioga Downs offers four programs next week, with a 6:30 p.m. EDT first post on Friday (May 27), Saturday (May 28), and Sunday (May 29), and a 1:30 p.m. EDT Memorial Day card on Monday (May 30).